Making connections: my role as a welfare officer

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Making Connections:
My role as a
University Welfare Officer
Julia Coats
Welfare Officer (International)
jc150@le.ac.uk

Job title: Welfare Officer (International)
What does that actually mean?
Primary role as a Welfare Officer but I specialise in areas relating to International Students
I work within the Student Welfare Service which falls under the UoL Student Support and Development Service (SSDS)
SSDS is one of 7 divisions within the University of Leicester’s Corporate Services

Welfare Officer (International) : Where does my role fit in the University structure?
UoL Corporate Services
Academic and Research Services
Estates Office
IT Services
Finance and Business Development
Human Resources
Marketing and Communications
Student Support and Development Service (SSDS)
Student Development
AccessAbility Centre
Health and Wellbeing Services
STUDENT WELFARE SERVICE

Student Welfare Service (SWS)
The Student Welfare Service provides these services for all students:
Practical and personal support
Response to emergency situations
Financial advice and information
Pastoral care for students living in University accommodation
Community Liaison
Health Promotion
Referral for free legal advice

In addition the Student Welfare Service offers the following support for
International Students:
Immigration advice and visa renewal service
Cultural adjustment
Orientation programmes and hospitality schemes
Family related information and advice
Guidance on returning home
Advocacy in some legal cases

Advice is provided by trained and qualified Welfare Officers
Each Welfare Officer also has the responsibility of:
* Responding to critical incidents and emergencies
* Being ‘on-call’ during the evenings and over the weekend
* Usually being the first point of contact for most departments
if a student needs help or if departmental staff have a specific query

Welfare Officer (International) : Where does my role fit in the Student Welfare Service?
Student Welfare Service
Head of Department
Senior Welfare Officer
Welfare Officer (Finance) x 2
Welfare Officer (International) x 3
Welfare Officer (Accommodation) x 1
Hardship Fund Administrator
Part-time Accommodation Assistant
25 Student Assistants
Visa Renewal officer
International Administrator
TULIP Intern

Journey from Medical Genetics to Welfare Officer..

Began as a student…
2003-2004
President of the MedBioGen Society
Treasurer of the Mixed Hockey Club
2004-2005
Elected Medicine and Biological Science
Faculty Representative
Club Captain of the Mixed Hockey Club
ULSU Sports Executive
Nightline Volunteer

Continued as a Graduate..
2005-2006
Student’s Union VicePresidentWelfare
2006- 2007
Students’ Union
Vice President Welfare (re-elect)

Campaigned on student issues
Lights, Camera Action!
Following a number of attacks on students I launched a campaign in 2005 for more lighting and CCTV coverage on Victoria Park...in March 2008 the City Council agreed to support the campaign and spent £50,000 on new lights and cameras!
The campaign has even made it’s way on to Wikipedia!

Worked with Mental Health advisers
promoting mental health wellbeing
Ran Healthy Living campaigns
Worked with Leicestershire Aids Support
Services (LASS) and NHS Chlamydia Screening
Team promoting sexual health awareness

Worked towards Fairtrade status
for the University and the SU
Worked with City Council, introduction of
Accreditation schemes for student houses

Career in Welfare continued..
…after Sabbatical
Senior Student Assistant within Student Welfare Service.
Assisted with organising the International Students’ Welcome Programme for over 1500 new international students
…After Senior Student Assistant applied for Welfare Officer vacancy 2008.

Qualifications
Degree essential plus at least 2 years experience of working in a similar role (International Students in Higher in Education)
Further qualifications:
University of Nottingham School of Education:
Certificate for International Education Professionals (CIEP)
Can take up to 3 years, I completed in 1.5 years
Advisory role/boundaries
Immigration legislation
Fee Status
Cultural awareness
Mental health awareness
Recruitment + Marketing
Hardship, funding, managing money
Annual training conference
Open College Network ‘Mediation in the workplace’ certificate
Qualified mediator

Skills needed
Interpersonal skills/ability to empathise
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Good communicator
Good organisational skills
Prioritise heavy workloads
Work flexibility important (long days!)

Good days
Job satisfaction
Very rewarding role
Meet new people almost every day
No two days are the same
Occasional study visits..
Singapore and Taiwan in January 2011
Expect the unexpected!

Bad days
Some very long days
Heavy caseload
Some distressing cases
Keeping up with legislation changes!

Still interested?
Tips:
Work in an area that you are genuinely interested in
Gain work experience (unpaid and paid experience)
Talk to people in a similar role – ways in (feel free to contact the SWS and speak to any of the officers)
Useful websites for job vacancies:
Institutional job vacancy pages (Colleges, Universities, private education providers)
www.prospects.ac.uk
www.jobs.guardian.co.uk (Education)
www.britishcouncil.org

Thank you
You can ask me questions now
or in the tea break

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Making connections: my role as a welfare officer

by Chris Willmott on Jun 13, 2011

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